OTTAWA -- Ottawa Public Health is reporting 74 new cases of COVID-19 in Ottawa on Saturday, while Ottawa's rate of COVID-19 cases per 100,000 people dropped to its lowest level in 2021.

The 74 cases of COVID-19 on Saturday follows 63 new cases on Friday. The slight increase in new cases comes ahead of elementary and secondary school students in Ottawa returning to class for in-person learning on Monday.

No new deaths linked to COVID-19 were reported in Ottawa on Saturday.

Since the first case of COVID-19 on March 11, there have been 13,290 laboratory-confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ottawa, including 422 deaths.

The city of Ottawa continues to see positive trends in the key COVID-19 monitoring indicators. The COVID-19 rate per 100,000 people fell to 42.5 cases on Saturday, down from 44 cases per 100,000 on Friday.

When the Ontario government issued the stay-at-home order on Jan. 14, Ottawa's cases per 100,000 was at 98. The COVID-19 rate per 100,000 people was at 43.4 cases on Jan. 1

Across Ontario, there are 2,063 new cases of COVID-19. Health officials reported 713 cases in Toronto, 379 in Peel Region and 178 in York Region.

Public Health Ontario reported 82 new cases of COVID-19 in Ottawa on Saturday. There is sometimes a discrepancy in reported cases between Ontario and Ottawa Public Health based on the timeline for pulling data from the system.

OTTAWA'S COVID-19 KEY STATISTICS

Ottawa Public Health moved Ottawa into its red zone in early January.

A provincial stay-at-home order has been in effect since Jan. 14, 2021.

Ottawa Public Health data:

  • COVID-19 cases per 100,000 (previous seven days): 42.5 cases (Down from 44.0 cases on Friday and 45.7 cases on Thursday)
  • Positivity rate in Ottawa: 2.4 per cent (Jan. 22 - Jan. 28)
  • Reproduction number: 0.90 (seven day average)

Reproduction values greater than 1 indicate the virus is spreading and each case infects more than one contact. If it is less than 1, it means spread is slowing. 

ACTIVE CASES OF COVID-19 IN OTTAWA

The number of people in Ottawa with known active cases of COVID-19 continues to decrease. OPH reported 674 active cases of COVID-19 on Saturday, down 685 active cases on Friday.

Eighty-five more Ottawa residents recovered from COVID-19 over the past 24 hours. A total 12,194 cases of COVID-19 are considered resolved in Ottawa.

The number of active cases is the number of total laboratory-confirmed cases of COVID-19 minus the numbers of resolved cases and deaths. A case is considered resolved 14 days after known symptom onset or positive test result.

HOSPITALIZATIONS IN OTTAWA

There are 32 people in Ottawa hospitals with COVID-19 complications on Saturday, down from 34 people on Friday.

Six people are in the intensive care unit.

Of the people in hospital, one is in their 30s, two is in their 40s, three are in their 50s, six are in their 60s (four are in the ICU), two are in their 70s, 11 are in their 80s (One is in the ICU), and seven are 90 or older.

 

COVID-19 CASES IN OTTAWA BY AGE CATEGORY

  • 0-9 years old: Two new cases (967 total cases)
  • 10-19 years-old: Ten new cases (1,654 total cases)
  • 20-29 years-old: 23 new cases (2,837 total cases)
  • 30-39 years-old: Nine new cases (1,849 total cases)
  • 40-49 years-old: Four new cases (1,720 total cases)
  • 50-59 years-old: 11 new cases (1,589 total cases)
  • 60-69-years-old: Five new cases (969 total cases)
  • 70-79 years-old: Two new cases (596 total cases)
  • 80-89 years-old: Seven new case (668 total cases)
  • 90+ years old: One new cases (438 total cases)

The ages of three people with COVID-19 are unknown.

COVID-19 TESTING IN OTTAWA

The Ottawa COVID-19 Testing Taskforce reports 1,067 swabs were taken at Ottawa assessment centres on Jan. 28.

A total 7,368 lab tests were performed in Ottawa.

The average turnaround from the time the swab is taken at a testing site to the result is currently 36 hours.

COVID-19 CASES ACROSS THE REGION

  • Eastern Ontario Health Unit: 28 cases
  • Kingston, Frontenac, and Lennox and Addington Public Health: One new case
  • Leeds, Grenville and Lanark Public Health: Six new cases
  • Renfrew County and District Health Unit  Two new cases

INSTITUTIONAL OUTBREAKS

Ottawa Public Health is reporting COVID-19 outbreaks at 38 institutions in Ottawa, including long-term care homes, retirement homes, daycares, hospitals and schools.

A new COVID-19 outbreaks has been declared at an Ottawa shelter.

The COVID-19 outbreaks at Rockcliffe Retirement Residence, Supported Independent Living – 29100 and Children's Village of Ottawa Carleton – Home Childcare are over.

There are three active community outbreaks, linked to a construction workplace, a health workplace and a warehouse. 

The schools and childcare spaces currently experiencing outbreaks are:

  1. Global Child Care Services - Gloucester home daycare
  2. Greely Elementary School 
  3. Little Acorn Early Learning Centre
  4. OKaytime Daycare Centre – Licensed Childcare
  5. Ruddy Family Y Child Care
  6. Wee Watch Nepean – Home Child Care – 29084

The long-term care homes, retirement homes, hospitals, and other spaces currently experiencing outbreaks are:

  1. Besserer Place
  2. Centre D'Accueil Champlain
  3. Colonel By Retirement Home
  4. Elisabeth Bruyere Residence
  5. Extendicare Laurier Manor
  6. Extendicare Medex
  7. Extendicare New Orchard Lodge
  8. Extendicare West End Villa
  9. Forest Hill
  10. Garden Terrace
  11. Grace Manor Long-term Care Home
  12. Group Home - 28608
  13. Group Home - 29049
  14. Group Home – 29052
  15. Heritage Retirement (NEW)
  16. Madonna Care Community
  17. Montfort Long-term Care Centre
  18. Oakpark Retirement Community
  19. Park Place
  20. Perley and Rideau Veterans' Health Centre
  21. Richmond Care Home
  22. Shelter - 28778
  23. Shelter – 29413
  24. Shelter- 29770
  25. Shelter – 29860 (NEW)
  26. Sisters of Charity - Couvent Mont St. Joseph
  27. St. Patrick's Home
  28. Stirling Park Retirement Community
  29. The Ravines Independent Living
  30. Valley Stream Retirement Residence
  31. Villa Marconi
  32. Villagia in the Glebe

A single laboratory-confirmed case of COVID-19 in a resident or staff member of a long-term care home, retirement home or shelter triggers an outbreak response, according to Ottawa Public Health. In childcare settings, a single confirmed, symptomatic case in a staff member, home daycare provider, or child triggers an outbreak.

Under provincial guidelines, a COVID-19 outbreak in a school is defined as two or more lab-confirmed COVID-19 cases in students and/or staff in a school with an epidemiological link, within a 14-day period, where at least one case could have reasonably acquired their infection in the school (including transportation and before or after school care).